BIRMINGHAM - 4
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Hellenic Imperial Airways
It's now stating at the top of the website that direct flights to Birmingham etc will start soon, looks like this one may well take off!
It's now stating at the top of the website that direct flights to Birmingham etc will start soon, looks like this one may well take off!
Join Date: Jun 2006
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TOM to CUN
The TOM Cancun flight is scheduled to operate via MAN as it isn't possible a guarantee to get the 283 seaters direct, much easier to plan a crew change and tech stop and fly to schedule than divert for fuel and delay the return. However, as BHX now has a 258 FCA a/c for the summer season it is planned to go direct (when flights re start) as it will be that much lighter.
Stand Planning.
The problem with arriving and seeing lots of empty stands at the terminal is that you don't see what is 20 or 30 minutes behind you. By the time you get to the carpark the stands that your aircraft could fit on are probably full, or have aircraft due down before your aircraft could realistically be towed, or aircraft are due down after the curfew on the 80's stands so have to have terminal stands. You would then need to account for having stands clear for the early arrivals, especially those with dedicated stands like CO. Then there is always the fact that handling agents charge to tow aircraft, fuel for the apu costs money as does the time of the engineers riding the brakes and not servicing the aircraft, aircraft under tow regularly cause delays to aircraft taxying in, etc, etc. The easiest solution is plan where everything is going to park overnight and send them straight there.
When things go wrong the job would probably rate along side one arm paper hanging. We are most certainly not looking forward to the changes later this year
The TOM Cancun flight is scheduled to operate via MAN as it isn't possible a guarantee to get the 283 seaters direct, much easier to plan a crew change and tech stop and fly to schedule than divert for fuel and delay the return. However, as BHX now has a 258 FCA a/c for the summer season it is planned to go direct (when flights re start) as it will be that much lighter.
Stand Planning.
The problem with arriving and seeing lots of empty stands at the terminal is that you don't see what is 20 or 30 minutes behind you. By the time you get to the carpark the stands that your aircraft could fit on are probably full, or have aircraft due down before your aircraft could realistically be towed, or aircraft are due down after the curfew on the 80's stands so have to have terminal stands. You would then need to account for having stands clear for the early arrivals, especially those with dedicated stands like CO. Then there is always the fact that handling agents charge to tow aircraft, fuel for the apu costs money as does the time of the engineers riding the brakes and not servicing the aircraft, aircraft under tow regularly cause delays to aircraft taxying in, etc, etc. The easiest solution is plan where everything is going to park overnight and send them straight there.
When things go wrong the job would probably rate along side one arm paper hanging. We are most certainly not looking forward to the changes later this year
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: ATHENS
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Just been having a look at Hellinic's previous routes, the 747 has been used in quite a few domestic routes, and that for sure wasn't a full flight so maybe half full planes don't bother them ...
I was expecting Hellas Jet to do this route some time in 2008, but Hellinic beat them to it...!
I was expecting Hellas Jet to do this route some time in 2008, but Hellinic beat them to it...!
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Solihull
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Stands
Re T2 very little changes in the week with inbound flights
After the EDI is 4 x Ryanair plus flybe GLA, BHD, ABZ, HAJ, CDG
DUS & STR.
FRA was in already and the STR could have been and if so was
on the 20's. That is 11 arrivals for 17 stands around the terminal.
I am not sure if they all are large enough for the Q400/195
though but it seems that there are enough stands for all the
evening inbounds.
By the time I got to the car park at least one other flight had
landed and parked remote as well, the terminal was still empty
except for the parked 145.
Ironically the 145 did not fly that day but occupied a terminal
stand (credit to acarsd).
T1 - I agree a totally diffferent story.
Pete
After the EDI is 4 x Ryanair plus flybe GLA, BHD, ABZ, HAJ, CDG
DUS & STR.
FRA was in already and the STR could have been and if so was
on the 20's. That is 11 arrivals for 17 stands around the terminal.
I am not sure if they all are large enough for the Q400/195
though but it seems that there are enough stands for all the
evening inbounds.
By the time I got to the car park at least one other flight had
landed and parked remote as well, the terminal was still empty
except for the parked 145.
Ironically the 145 did not fly that day but occupied a terminal
stand (credit to acarsd).
T1 - I agree a totally diffferent story.
Pete
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Warwickshire
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Midland Airways, Royal Atlantic (?), Bilga Air, Air Sylhet and now Hellenic - wake me up only when the next real real bona fide airline decides to open a new route from BHX 
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Must be saying something for BHX if these potential new operators see something launching ops from here, I have no idea how hard launching an airline is but I'm sure it's rather difficult so good on them for giving them it a try....
As Hellinic are an established or "bona fide" carrier maybe you shouldn't knock it just yet
.
As Hellinic are an established or "bona fide" carrier maybe you shouldn't knock it just yet
.
GayFriendly,
Exactly! Hopefully BHX won't be talking this one up, and thus adding to the embarrasment caused to the airport by all the carriers you mentioned, plus FlyBlu, that virtual airline that operated Dundee with the White Eagle ATR, and probably some others I've forgotten!
Exactly! Hopefully BHX won't be talking this one up, and thus adding to the embarrasment caused to the airport by all the carriers you mentioned, plus FlyBlu, that virtual airline that operated Dundee with the White Eagle ATR, and probably some others I've forgotten!
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I'm sure it's rather difficult so good on them for giving them it a try....
AT Notts - LOL!! I had forgotten about that woeful Fly Who (originally Fly Blu?) and their non attempts to fly to Florida (having taken cash from a fair few punters I believe) only for them to re-surface as Whoosh as you say using a leased ATR to Dundee - although to be fair they did eventually do BHX a favour as they got good loads and had they not tried it first I doubt Loganair/BE would be doing it now
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I completely aggree with GayFriendly. I go to Greece about 10 times per year, and am fed up of Going down to Gatwick or Heathrow.
I wish it was Easyjet/Aegean/HellasJet starting this route with an A320.
I wish it was Easyjet/Aegean/HellasJet starting this route with an A320.
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AI / Hellenic
Reports on another forum that AI are to return this winter three times weekly terminating service using 773, author does not state whether ATQ, DEL or both. This would be a real coup if true but IMHO am sceptical to say the least, it just seems too good to be true in this age of cutbacks and bottom lines
Another report that Hellenic handling and catering contracts at BHX have gone out to tender
Another report that Hellenic handling and catering contracts at BHX have gone out to tender
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Ryanair winter 2009/10
The booking engine has started to be loaded with three routes
on sale by lunchtime - Dublin, Shannon & Derry.
Despite only three routes a major change already and for the first
time the first out Dublin is operated by a BHX based aircraft.
Whether this is aircraft five or just one of the existing four only
time will tell.
Londonderry is daily still at the fixed time of 12.30 departure.
Shannon is again operated by a Shannon based aircraft at
different times depending on the day.
Pete
on sale by lunchtime - Dublin, Shannon & Derry.
Despite only three routes a major change already and for the first
time the first out Dublin is operated by a BHX based aircraft.
Whether this is aircraft five or just one of the existing four only
time will tell.
Londonderry is daily still at the fixed time of 12.30 departure.
Shannon is again operated by a Shannon based aircraft at
different times depending on the day.
Pete
Join Date: Feb 2005
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RYR
One hopes a 5th aircraft.
The W patterns into BHX at the moment almost equate to another based unit.
The transfering of any W routes to based aircraft without the addition of another based unit results in less flights and less of the existing based routes. Unless it is squeezed into the existing schedule or another route transfers to be a W rotation.
Interesting
Centre cities.
The W patterns into BHX at the moment almost equate to another based unit.
The transfering of any W routes to based aircraft without the addition of another based unit results in less flights and less of the existing based routes. Unless it is squeezed into the existing schedule or another route transfers to be a W rotation.
Interesting
Centre cities.
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FR
CC
About half the flights now released and no change with
visiting aircraft other than an extra Girona (one less based REU).
Hahn and Shannon both "W's" but Pisa and Weeze not yet released.
Trapani looks as if it is not operating.
Malaga has been cut to four weekly and Alicante reverts to four
weekly. Murcia stays at three but no Palma.
Bologna stays at 2 weekly as does Porto and Biarritz (winter schedule).
I would say flights are down at present but with the Eastern European
routes to be loaded it is difficult to tell.
Perpignan appears lost compared to last winter - no surprise.
The ones not loaded and the ones not operating are shown differently
on the website but it is just guesswork at present.
Pete
About half the flights now released and no change with
visiting aircraft other than an extra Girona (one less based REU).
Hahn and Shannon both "W's" but Pisa and Weeze not yet released.
Trapani looks as if it is not operating.
Malaga has been cut to four weekly and Alicante reverts to four
weekly. Murcia stays at three but no Palma.
Bologna stays at 2 weekly as does Porto and Biarritz (winter schedule).
I would say flights are down at present but with the Eastern European
routes to be loaded it is difficult to tell.
Perpignan appears lost compared to last winter - no surprise.
The ones not loaded and the ones not operating are shown differently
on the website but it is just guesswork at present.
Pete
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Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: South of MAN, North of BHX, and well clear of Stoke ;-)
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I have just been on Aegeans site, and they now appear to have a link to Manchester from Athens.
